Prof.Bhim Singh, Chief Patron of National Panthers Party in a rejoinder to Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has raised the issue of citizenship and rehabilitation of nearly 85000 refugees who crossed over from Sialkote-Lahore sector to Jammu Pradesh in 1947 during partition of India. They were legally/lawfully settled along International Borders by the State administration headed by Sheikh Mohd. Abdullah. Each family which migrated from the areas, now Pakistan, to Jammu Pradesh, India was allotted small pieces of land/immoveable property by the orders of Sheikh Mohd. Abdullah. These Pak refugees were provided weapons for protecting the International Borders for the reason that the rulers of Kashmir had very limited Army/12000 soldiers only who were fighting the Pakistani raiders in the Valley.

The NPP Supremo reminded the historians, politicians and the hostile leadership of Kashmir that those refugees from Pakistan were the only defenders of the citizens/state subjects of J&K along Jammu-Sialkote borders (Indo-Pak border).

The Constitution of J&K was promulgated in 1957 which itself expressly provides that all those who were settled lawfully 10 years before the promulgation of the J&K Constitution and were holding immoveable property shall be entitled to the certificate of Permanent Residents in the state. He called it most unfortunate that the Kashmiri leaders who preferred a separate Constitution for the state as it is today, have not accepted the mandate of the Constitution that all Pakistani refugees who were born after 1947 in J&K are Indian citizens/permanent residents of the state under the Law. 90% of the so-called Pak citizens were born in J&K (India) who fulfilled all the conditions to be permanent residents of the state of J&K being born in the state while their parents were living as lawful citizens in J&K settled by a lawful government headed by Sheikh Mohd. Abdullah.

Prof.Bhim Singh communicated to Prime Minister Modi that he should seek the legal opinion on the issue and direct his government in J&K to settle these Pak refugees with comprehensive settlement according to the mandate of the Constitution of J&K read with Constitution of India. These refugees born in J&K have acquired a status of a permanent resident of state and citizens of India.

Prof.Bhim Singh charged the Prime Minister and his party for bluffing the innocent Pak refugees and their state born children just to raise party’s vote bank by luring them to join the recruitment drill only organized by the Indian Army. Prime Minister should have known that the Pak refugees could join the Indian Army and there was no ban. What about the rights of these stateless citizens of India in J&K vis-à-vis local recruitments, their fundamental rights and their right to live in J&K as any other citizen of India born in the state. He said that both the Congress (including PDP, National Conference and now BJP) have started be-fooling these innocent people mostly belonging to SC fraternity exploiting their helplessness. They have been leaderless and used as vote banks by BJP and Congress. Mr. Prime Minister Modi should have addressed the problems of their survival with dignity and respect as citizens of India rather than put them on the frying pan.